GREENHOLM ROAD / ALDRIDGE ROAD JUNCTION

The above named junction must be on of the most dangerous in the area. I have seen a number of accidents my self and have written to the Transportation department asking for improvements to this junction.
I know we have the support of Councillor Linnecor(Oscott) who has also written to the Transportation department asking for action to be taken on a number of occasions, but like my self he has received no positive news from them.

ORA members and residents often ask me what can be done about this junction?. I think Residents who are concerned about this junction could write to Councillor Len Gregory (who is the Councillor with responsibility for Road Safety in Birmingham for the Conservative Party's Council Administration) C/o the Birmingham City Council, Victoria Square Birmingham. Perhaps if enough residents did, he might get the message?


Nigel Quinn
Chair Oscott Residents Assocaition

LITTER PICK AT THE ALDRIDGE ROAD RECREATION GROUND

The Friends of the Queslett Nature Reserve are to hold a litter picking session at the Aldridge Road Recreation Ground on SAt 14th June. They will start at the Shady Lane entrance at 11am.
If you would like to help please come along.
For more details please ring 360 6486.

LOCAL SCHOOL NEEDS TO GET ITS ACT TOGETHER

The Great Barr School in the view of a number of local residents, needs to get its act together.
They need to get a litter policy in place in order for nearby residents not to have to suffer the constant problems onf litter, for example.
Also the School needs to create more drop off parking areas in its grounds (something Councillors Keith Linnecor and former Councillor John Cotton put to them years ago). They should use some of their old play ground area for staff and student parking for example. The current situation where staff and students continue to obstruct residents drives and the parking out side residents homes all day has to stop. Residents are calling on the Council to make the Great Barr School authories take these matters more seriously.

BOOTHS LANE CARRIAGE WAY

The Oscott Residents Association has been contacted by a number of road users who are concerned about the state of the Booths Lane unadopted carriageway. The pot holes have returned with a vengeance and so has the flooding.

One of the so called selling points made by the developer and his supporters! re the new houses in Booths Lane was that he would get the road repaired when he had his planning application agreed.

Many felt the garantee to get the necessary road repairs done should have been done regardless of the outcome of the planning process but there you are.

Now months after the Planning committee with a few notable acceptations, those who refused to sell out, gave the developer the go ahead, there has still been no repairs done to the carriage way in Booths Lane. How long will we have to waite.?

FRIENDS OF THE QUESLETT NATURE RESERVE IN ACTION

VICE CHAIRS BOB WILD AND ROY ANDREW WITH SECRETARY BRENDA WILSON AND MEMBER JOHN DAVIS

The FOQNR members were in action again on Saturday 24th May.

Along with Council officers and Chair Councillor Keith Linnecor, a number of members helped clear land and sow seeds in the reserve. It is hoped that the seeds planted will help Butterflys and Birds to increase on the reserve.

JUST SOME THOUGHTS.

Although I agree ORG should work with our local Councillors we do need to make sure they are more aggressive with the Council administration. We all know that this Council needs a kick up the bum at times and we need our councillors to do this.
However we residents groups can always do this ourselves if necessary.
For example I believe in calling a spade a spade, the Transportation department under this Council is hopeless, drop curbs are too expensive and the state of our roads are awful in places.
We residents groups should make it plain to the Council this is not good enough.
The Council tax is far to high for the service we receive just look at the mess they are making of the green bag collection! As for discipline in our schools. Council inspectors should be out in force.

The Government also needs to get its own act together, the 10p tax fiasco and the amount of bureaucracy in our NHS are just a couple of things that need to be sorted out.

LOCAL COUNCILLORS SURGERY DETAILS

We have been passed the following details by Councillor Keith Linnecor and we pass them on for your information.

Oscott Councillors Barbara Dring and Keith Linnecor, surgeries are as follows

Every Saturday morning 10.30 am at the 610 Community Centre.*
The First Wednesday in the month at 7pm at the 610 Community Centre*
The first Thursday in the month at 3pm at the Kingstanding Library.*

If you would like to contact them by phone please ring
Councillor Keith Linnecor 360 6486
Councillor Barbara Dring 360 7565
Alternatively you can email
Keith.Linnecor@birmingham.gov.uk or
Barbara.Dring@birmingham.gov.uk

For those with genuine mobility problems please ring the above Tel No and arangement may be made for a home visit if necessary.

We will let you know the other Oscott Councillors details if he contacts us with them.

DISABLED DROP CURBS STILL NEEDED

The Oscott Disability Group along with the Oscott Residents Association, are continuing to call on this Councils Transportation department, to take disabled residents rights seriously.
For example disabled residents (and mothers with prams for that matter) should not be forced into the road, because we can not get our Wheel chairs/ scooters on and off the pavement due to the lack of disabled drop curbs. Thankfully we have a champion in Councillor Keith Linnecor who is constantly approaching the Transportation department about this matter on our behalf.


G. Hough
ODG

ELECTION RESULT

ORG would like to congratulate Councillor Green on his election on Thursday. We hope when learns the ropes and gets to know the area better we will be able to work with him. This would of course have to be in a non political way.
ORG were sorry to see Former Councillor John Cotton loose his seat as he had always worked well with all our groups and was always available to listen to our concerns. He worked hard for residents in the area also. He can console himself that he was only defeated because of national issues and if the tide turns we are sure he will return in some way. We all wish John the very best of luck and once again thank him for his efforts over the years.